A shattered window, scratched walls and clawed doors were left behind by a frightened mountain lion that spent a few harried minutes in Evette Walton's garage Monday.
"I was shocked. Here in the middle of the valley in Taylorsville, nowhere near mountains," Walton said. "I do have a huge back yard with play equipment that my kids and neighbors' kids play on. It could have been very scary."
Fortunately, no one was home about 1:45 p.m. when a neighbor saw an adult mountain lion in Walton's back yard. It had hopped a fence that separates a commercial area from the neighborhood, near 4800 South and 1800 West.
Animal control officers conducted door-to-door searches throughout the area with no luck. Then they returned to Walton's back yard and noticed an open door leading into the garage, Salt Lake County Animal Services spokeswoman Temma Martin said.
The officers used flashlights and spotted the 150-pound female inside.
Walton, who arrived home about the time authorities and neighbors descended upon her residence, heard sounds of a desperate animal trying to escape.
"It would smack up against the door, claw against the doors that opened," she said. "You could hear it banging the place up. (It) was very scared. It didn't do any screaming or anything. It was trying to get out."
Walton said she was most worried about possible damage to square dancing apparel worth between $6,000 and $7,000 that she sells on consignment — about 150 dresses and 55 petticoats. None of the square dancing clothing was damaged, however.
Officers with Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources used a tranquilizer dart to relax the animal. In a few minutes, Walton said she got up the nerve to peak inside.
The mountain lion's "huge head was peering out at us under the dresses," she said.
The animal was taken by the wildlife division and will be returned to the mountains, Martin said.
It was believed to be the first time in five years a mountain lion had walked into the Salt Lake Valley, Martin said. The animals follow canals and waterways from the mountains. Animal officers said the mountain lion may have crossed Redwood Road on Sunday night.
Unless cornered and frightened by humans, mountain lions generally do not attack people; rather they typically try to avoid them, Martin said.
E-MAIL: lhancock@desnews.com